California’s Big Sur Region extends nearly 100 miles southward from Carmel, dominated by the coastal Santa Lucia Mountains. This area, well known for its grand scenery, was sparsely populated until U.S. Highway 1 arrived in 1937. It took another ten years before the area was connected to a power grid. One resident, Christopher McWay, took full advantage of this quiet sanctuary and Big Sur vistas on his Saddle Rock Ranch. Lathrop and Helen Hooper Brown, a former New York Congressman and his wife, purchased the Saddle Rock Ranch and built their home at today's Waterfall Overlook. Friend of neighboring Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Mrs. Brown eventually donated her 1800 acre ranchland to the state as a park, ensuring a lasting tribute to Julia’s memory.
     Here at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, the Big Sur’s dramatic cliffs drop hundreds of feet to the sea. McWay Falls, The only waterfall to drop directly into the Pacific Ocean, plunges 100 feet into McWay Cove below. A short trail leads out to McWay Falls Overlook, providing all visitors with this remarkable view.